🌈 Pryde Social — Terms of Service

Welcome to Pryde Social ("Pryde", "we", "our", "the platform"). By accessing or using Pryde Social, you agree to these Terms of Service.

If you do not agree, you must not use the platform.

1. Eligibility

Pryde Social is strictly 18+ only.

By using the platform, you confirm you are 18 years or older. Age verification is required at signup.

2. Description of Service

Pryde Social is a queer-centred social platform built by an LGBTQ+ creator for LGBTQ+ people. It's a space designed for safety, privacy, and genuine connection — not algorithms, virality, or engagement metrics.

Respectful allies are welcome, but queer voices are prioritised. LGBTQ+ identities, rights, and existence are not up for debate.

Platform features include:

• Posts with text, images, videos, and GIFs
• Comments and reactions on posts
• Direct messages (DMs) between users
• Lounge (global chat room)
• Journals, longform posts, and photo essays
• Community tags and discovery
• Events system
• Circles (friend groups) and Collections
• Stories (ephemeral content)
• Anonymous posting and commenting
• Bookmarks and sharing
• Privacy controls and Quiet Mode (including Deep Quiet, scheduled hours, content filtering)
• Security features (2FA, passkeys, email verification)
• Galaxy visual theme and accessibility settings

We do not guarantee:

• Uninterrupted access
• Error-free operation
• Permanent data storage

This platform is operated privately by an individual, not a company.

3. User Conduct

Pryde Social is a queer-centred space. You agree to:

• Respect all LGBTQ+ identities, pronouns, and lived experiences
• Treat others with empathy, care, and emotional intelligence
• Understand that LGBTQ+ identities, rights, and existence are not up for debate
• Engage in good faith and avoid bad-faith arguments or "devil's advocate" tactics

You agree not to:

• Harass, threaten, bully, or abuse other users
• Post hate speech, discrimination, slurs, or attacks based on identity
• Invalidate, question, or debate someone's gender, sexuality, or lived experience
• Fetishise LGBTQ+ people or treat identities as a kink
• Misgender, deadname, or disrespect pronouns
• Post or share illegal content
• Share CSAM (child sexual abuse material) — zero tolerance, immediate ban
• Impersonate others
• Spam, scam, or mislead users
• Post revenge porn or non-consensual content
• Use Pryde to stalk, monitor, or harm others

Violations may result in content removal, warnings, temporary restrictions, or permanent bans. Severe violations result in immediate bans.

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): We are required by Australian law — specifically the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) — to report any CSAM encountered on the platform to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE). We will do so without notice. We also reserve the right to report such material to relevant law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions. Users who post, share, or distribute CSAM will be permanently banned and reported to authorities immediately.

4. 18+ Content & Media Responsibility

Adult content is allowed only if:

• All individuals depicted are adults
• Content is consensual
• It complies with local laws
• It does not include exploitation or illegal behavior

Users are responsible for ensuring that all photos, videos, GIFs, and other media uploaded to Pryde Social involve adults and are consensual.

GIF Content: When using GIFs from Tenor (powered by Google), you are responsible for ensuring the GIF content is appropriate and complies with these Terms. We are not responsible for third-party GIF content.

We reserve the right to remove content that is unsafe or harmful.

5. Account Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining account security
• Not sharing your password
• Reviewing your privacy and safety settings

You agree that anything posted from your account is your responsibility.

6. Content Ownership

You retain copyright to your content. However, by posting on Pryde Social, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display and distribute your content within the platform.

We do not claim ownership of user content.

7. Removal of Content & Private Messages

We may remove content that:

• Violates policies
• Is harmful or unsafe
• Is reported and verified
• Involves copyright infringement
• Harasses or targets individuals
• Is flagged by automated content moderation (spam detection, toxicity scoring)

Automated Content Moderation: We use automated systems to detect spam, toxic content, and policy violations. Content flagged by these systems may be automatically hidden or removed.

Private messages are not monitored unless reported. We respect your privacy and do not proactively monitor private conversations. However, reported messages may be reviewed for safety and policy enforcement.

8. Termination

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms. You may delete your account at any time.

9. Disclaimers

Pryde Social is provided "as is" with no warranties.

We are:

• Not responsible for user actions
• Not liable for harm caused by user content
• Not a crisis or emergency service

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, Pryde Social (its operator) is not liable for:

• Loss of data
• Harassment or interactions between users
• Damages arising from use of the platform
• Misuse of content by others

11. Third-Party Services

Pryde Social uses the following third-party services to operate the platform. By using Pryde, you agree to the applicable terms and privacy policies of these providers:

• Render.com — Backend server hosting. Processes all server-side requests. Privacy Policy
• MongoDB Atlas (MongoDB, Inc.) — Database storage for all user data. Privacy Policy
• Vercel, Inc. — Frontend hosting and global CDN. Privacy Policy
• Cloudflare R2 (Cloudflare, Inc.) — Media file storage (photos, videos). Privacy Policy
• hCaptcha (Intuition Machines, Inc.) — Bot protection during registration. Privacy Policy · Terms
• Tenor (Google LLC) — GIF search and display. When you use GIFs, your search terms and IP address are sent to Tenor. Privacy Policy
• Sentry (Functional Software, Inc.) — Error monitoring and crash reporting. May receive your user ID and technical device info when errors occur. Privacy Policy
• Resend (Resend Inc.) — Transactional email delivery (verification, password reset, notifications). Processes your email address. Privacy Policy
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google LLC) — Push notifications (only if you opt in). Google receives a device token to route notifications. Privacy Policy

We do not sell your data to any of these providers. They act as data processors on our behalf and are contractually required to protect your information.

12. Security Features

We provide the following security features:

• Email Verification: Required for account activation
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Optional enhanced security
• Passkeys/WebAuthn: Optional passwordless authentication
• Account Lockout: Automatic lockout after 5 failed login attempts (15-minute lock)
• Rate Limiting: Protection against brute-force attacks and spam
• Session Management: Secure session tracking with device monitoring

You are responsible for enabling and maintaining these security features on your account.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. For material changes (changes that significantly affect your rights or how we use your data), we will notify you by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. For minor clarifications, the updated Terms will be posted here with an updated date.

Continued use of Pryde after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the platform and may request account deletion.

14. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of South Australia, Australia, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Australia, Australia.

Users outside Australia are responsible for compliance with their local laws when accessing the platform.

15. Contact

For questions or concerns: